Switching apparatus



July 5, 196 w. J. WASYLENKO 2,944,121

SWITCHING APPARATUS Filed March 20, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 fig- INVENTOR. WILLIAM Jv WASYLENKO wJaMV/QW AGENT July 5, 1960 w. J. WASYLENKO 2,944,121

SWITCHING APPARATUS Filed March 20, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 35a 338 ale 29 276 INVENTLSR.

WILLIAM J, WASYLENKO JM/Q. M

AGENT July 5, 1960 w. J. WASYLENKO 2,944,121

SWITCHING APPARATUS Filed March 20, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. WILLIAM J. WASYLENKO Z/ MQ ma;

AGENT United States Patent SWITCHING APPARATUS William J. Wasylenko, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Burroughs Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Mar. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 800,838

12 Claims. (Cl. 200-11) The present invention relates to switching apparatus, and more particularly to switching apparatus for distributing electrical signals. With still more particularity, the present invention has to do with stepping switches for changing the distribution of a plurality of parallel electrical signals.

Heretofore, one type of signal apparatus for distributing parallel signals to different denominational orders of an accumulator of a computer, for example, involved using a stepping switch for each input. Thus if the accumulator was adapted to handle a twelve digit number it was necessary to use twelve such stepping switches. Each stepping switch had an output terminal for each signal entry terminal and the output terminals of each switch had to be interconnected. Moreover, each switch was initially set to its corresponding entry number, and thereafter it was possible to shift any one input to a predetermined output by stepping all of the, switches in parallel a desired number of times. The disadvantages of this arrangement are the high cost of the switches, the relatively long operating time and the power required to step the switches. By contrast, the apparatus of the present invention is of greatly simplified construction, and for the same purpose merely employs two etched circuit panels mounted in parallel planes with a rotary wiper assembly between them. 7

It is an important object, therefore, of this invention to provide improved switching apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a switching apparatus which isespecially useful for controlling the operatingisequence of electrically responsive units such as found in computer systems.

It is still another object of the invention to provide improved switchingapparatus-for continuously changing the distribution of parallel signals.

Further objects and advantages of the'invention will appear as the detailed specification is read with reference to the drawings forming apart hereof, and in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a switching apparatusembodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail view, partly in section, taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. -1,.showing the rotor brush assembly of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the brush assembly taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view taken along the line -44 of Fig. -1 showingthe conductor pattern of one of the components;

Fig. 5 is a view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 1 showing the conductor pattern of another component;

Fig. 6 is aschematic view showing certain of the conductor paths of the component shown in- Fig. '5 superimposed upon the conductor paths of the component shown in Fig. 4 as they would appear when assembled in the apparatus; and

Fig. 7 is a tableshowing the multiple number of cross connections capable of being performed by the switching apparatus described herein.

The illustrated and preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in assembled condition in Fig. 1, includes a pair of identical sheets or panels 10 and 11 of electrical insulating material and a contacting wiper assembly 12 rotatable therebetween. Oppositely disposed on confronting faces 13 and 14 respectively of each of the sheets 10 and 11 as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, are a plurality of mutually insulated circuit paths preferably formed thereon by the well known etched circuit technique. The wiper assembly generally indicated at 12 is fixed to a rotatable shaft 15 and functions to connect the conductive paths of one face to those of the opposite face, as hereinafter described. A suitable source of rotative power 16, which, as herein contemplated, may be any well known intermittent stepping mechanism, is connected to shaft 15 to rotatably step the wiper assembly through successive angular positions. The sheets 10 and 11 are each provided with a clearance hole 1''] through which shaft 15 extends, and, as shown, the sheets are connected together but held in spaced parallel relationship between frames 18 and 19 by means of bolts 2'1 and'associated spacers 22 and 23. The switching assembly together with the stepping mechanism 16 may-be formed into a unitary assembly by mounting the same on a common base member 20. The shaft 15, moreover, may be supported for rotation by means of bearings 24 in the frames 18 and 19.

Referring now to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the conductor face of panel 10, shown therein, includes twelve individual conductors 25 to 36 formed thereon as by etching or electroforming, and mutually insulated from each other by the space between them. The'panel 11, Fig. 5, is actually identical with panel 10, Fig. 4, but when the panels are mounted in confronting relationship, as shown in Fig. 1, the conductor patterns are, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, in reverse image relation to one another, as more clearly explained later.- Since the conductor pattern of panel 11 duplicates the pattern on panel 10, the individual conductors bear like reference characters but with the prime designation for those on panel 11. Each of the'conductors 25 to 36 of panel 10, Fig. 4, includes corresponding portions a through e, the letter a designating concentric semi-circular portions extending through an angle of For simplicity of illustration, it will be seen that each of these portions are designated by looped lead lines ratherthan repeating each character 25-36 with its letters, as used in the specification. The same conductors of panel 10 also include spiral portions 2512-3511 which are joined respectively to the upper ends of all but the outermost concentric semi-circular portions 26a 35a. The spiral portions of the conductors are each progressively radially displaced an amount equal to the spacing Z (Fig. 4) between the semi-circular conductor portions for each predetermined increment of rotation represented by the angle A. By way of example, and as seen in Fig. 4, the spiral conductor portion 35b which joins the semi-circular conductor path 35a at its upper end is extended radially outwardly the distance Z as the line of the conductor is continued in a counterclockwise direction through the angle A. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the angle A is equal to 15. The angular increment is determined by the number of individual conductors making up the pattern, as follows:

180 Number of conductors 12 Thus, the pitch of each spiral portion 25b-35b is equal to the distance B between two adjacent semi-circular conductor portions for each 15 increment of rotation about the axis of the concentric conductor portions'.

The lower end portions of the eleven outermost semicircular conductors 26a-36a of Fig. 4 are in a corresponding manner connected to spiral conducting portions 26c-36c and have the same magnitude of pitch as the spiral portions 25b-36b but extending in a radially inward direction. The inner extremities of the inwardly extending spiral portions terminate at a radial distance from the axis which is equivalent to the radius of the innermost semi-circular conductor portion 25a. The conductors 2536 further include terminal portions or leads 25d--36d for connection to external circuitry. More specifically, terminal leads 2503-3503 are extensions of spiral portions 25b35b to terminal pads 25e35e respectively along the lower margin of the board, while the remaining terminal lead 36d merges with the lower portion of the spiral portion 360 and connects the same to the leftmost terminal pad 36c. It can thus be seen that each of the aforementioned conductive paths 2536 may be connected to separate external circuits by suitable connections to the terminal pads, and it will be apparent that when voltage is impressed there on, that their continuous circuit paths will thereby be energized.

.As previously mentioned hereinabove, the conductor pattern on panel 11 is identical with that on panel 10, the reversed image relation of the two panels in Figs. 4 and 5 exhibiting their confronting positions in the assembled apparatus. The description of the conductors of panel and their respective connections to the terminal pads applies equally well to the conductors and terminal pads on panel 11, except for the use of primes on the reference characters on the latter panel.

When the two printed circuit components or panels 10 and 11 are assembled with'their respective conductive patterns in face to face relationship as seen in Fig. l, the semi-circular circuit paths of one panel are in spaced confronting relationship with the spiral circuit paths of the other panel and likewise the spiral portions of said one panel, are in confronting relationship with the semi-circular portions of said other panel. As will become more apparent hereinafter, it is possible by means of the brush assembly 12 contacting the two faces of the panels to: connect each respective circuit path of one face with a circuit path of the other face to thereby establish a large number of selectable cross connections.

v As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the brush or wiper assembly 12 includes an elongated rotor arm 40 of dielectric material having a transverse bore 41 at one end to permit 7 the same'to be mounted upon shaft 15 and fixed thereto by a radially extending set screw 42. Shaft 15 is driven by the aforementioned intermittent stepping device 16 which may be of the type described in the co-pend-ing application for patent of Dusan S. Gelletich et al., entitled Program Tape Reader, Serial No. 699,595, filed November 29, 1957, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. While the present invention is illustrated as embodying an intermittent motion device, it should be understood that if desired a constant rotary device may also'be used in lieu of the intermittent device shown.

The rotor arm 40 is comb-like in configuration, as shown in Fig. 2, having a plurality of parallel grooves 43 spaced along its length. Each groove 43 extends along The latter body portions 44 each include divergent boundary surfaces 45--45 which serve to position an electrical brush contact 46 in each grove, one for each of the aforementioned circuit paths 2'536. Each brush is bifurcated and includes a base 47 which is circular in form through an are greater than and has connected thereto a pair of divergent legs 48--48. The extremities of the legs may be arcuate in form as at 49 and, as shown in Fig. 3, are located on a radial line P--P (Fig. 2) passing through the axis of rotation of the rotor arm and disposed parallel to edge surface 50 of the latter. The brush contacts 46 as viewed in Fig. 3 are spaced axially along the rotor arm 40 so that the legs 48-48 thereof lie along the previously mentioned divergent surfaces 45-45. An elongated pin 51, likewise of dielectric material and having substantially the same diameter as the internal diameter of each of the circular base portions 47 of the brush contacts, is threaded through the latter portions and is simultaneously received in bore 52 of the rotor arm to lock the brush contacts in place on the wiper assembly.

With further reference to Fig. 2 it is seen that there are twelve brush contacts 46 spaced radially along the length of the rotor, and that these twelve contacts correspond in number to the number of conductors 2.5 to 36 and 25 to 36 carried by the panels 10 and 11 respectively. With reference to Fig. 5, it is apparent that when the rotor is advanced counterclockwise from an upper vertical position through an angle of 180, each of the individual brushes will ride in conducting engagement with the semi-circular portions a of the conductors on the panel. When the rotor is thereafter rotated in the same direction through the remaining 180 it will be apparent that each brush contact will leave its associated semi-circular path and will sequentially cut across the spiral path portions [1 and c of the conductors. Moreover, because of the aforementioned geometrical configuration of the conductors, the points of intersection of the brushes with the spiral conductor portions during the latter 180 sweep of the wiper brushes occur at uniform increments of angular rotation, as described more fully hereinafter. Accordingly, at each successive angular increment of movement, each brush is positioned to conduct an electrical impulse or signal from a difierent successive one of the individual spiral circuit path portions. Moreover, because of the radial displacement of the spiral conductor portions relative to the axis of rotation of the rotor, i.e., the pitch of the spiral portions, it is apparent that the order of pulses from an individual conductor is shifted successively to all of the brush contacts. Thus at each successively displaced position of the rotor, a different brush will operate to receive an impulse from the individual conductor.

Figure 6 of the drawing is a schematic view showing the conductor paths of panel 10, Fig. 4, in light lines, and having superimposed thereon certain of the conductor paths of panel 11, Fig. 5, shown in heavy lines. The selected superimposed conductor paths of panel 11 are identified as 25', 30 and 36. Fig. 6 schematically illustrates the relationship that the conductive paths assume when assembled-in the manner shown in Fig. 1. In particular, the semi-circular portions 25a, 30a, 36a of the conductive paths 25, 30', 36 overlie and cross over the spiral circuit path portions b of the opposite face'13 of circuit panel 10. The various positions of the rotor wiper assembly 12, determines which of the impulses or signals may be discharged from one panel to the other or vice versa, and its rotative movement determines the sequence of the connections. The brush contacts 46 of the rotor wiper assembly are thus adapted to bridge the circuit paths contained on one panel with those on the opposed panel, and each contact thereof will engage opposed circuits at their crossover points to. translate electrical impulses from an input path on one panel to an output path on its opposing panel.

When the brush assembly '12 is shifted from its upper vertical position (Fig. 1) counterclockwise through the angle A, Fig. 6, by means of the intermittent stepping device 16, Fig. 1, it is observed that one of the brushes 46 will be in contact with the outermost semi-circular conductor portion. 36a, carried by board 11, and the spiral conducting portion 35b lying on conductor panel where they cross over each other. When the brush assembly is rotated through angle B, the same brush is brought into contact with the conductor portion 36a and spiral portion 34b where they cross over each other, thus to establish contact between the opposedpaths. Continued rotation of the brush assembly through angles D to K brings the same brush successively into position to bridge the conductor 36a with successive spiral portions 33b-25b, and when rotated through the angle L the same brush connects conductor 36a with conductor 36a. Hence, the brush 46 associated with conductor 36a bridges a new pair of conductors with each angular step of the rotor arm. In a similar manner, the brush associated with the semi-circular conductor 30a when followed through angles A through L establishes the same relationship with spiral conductor portions 29b counterclockwise to b, and 36c to 30a. Also, the brush associated with the innermost conductor 25a, bridges this conductor with the inner extremities of conductor 36c, c, 34c, 330, et cetera. Thus it will be understood that even though only three of the conductors of panel 11 have been so illustrated and described, eachbrush of the rotor assembly takes a similar path across the spiralconductors of panel 10 and at any of the aforedescribed predetermined angular positions of the rotor assembly (A through L) any input impulse that may be present on one conductive path of one panel will be carried through an associated brush contact and into a corresponding dis charge or output conduit on the opposite panel.

Conductor 36a followed in a counterclockwise direc:

.tion and through angles A-L merges with spiral portion 36c and the latter when followed through the angles M, N, O, P et cetera, crosses over conductors 35a, 34a, 33a, 32a, 31a successively, then continues in the same spiral path to cross over conductors 30a, 29a, 28a, 27a, 26a and terminate over conductor 25a. One extremity 49 of the outermost brush 46 of the wiper assembly is in continuous engagement with the conductor 36a (heavy black) when rotated through angles A-L to convey impulses therefrom through the brush successively and intermittently to conductor paths 35b, 34b, 33b, et cetera,

of the opposite circuit pattern, as described above. However, the function of the extremities of outermost brush 46 changes when the brush is rotated through the angles MX. One extremity is in continuous contact with semi-circular conductor 3611 on panel it) while the other extremity makes intermittent and successive contact with the spiral portions on panel 11.. Similarly the remaining brushes of the rotor assembly engage the conductor paths of the two opposing circuit patterns.

Figure 7 is a table based upon Figure 6 and is indicative of the overlay relationship of the circuitry contained on the two panels 10 and 11. The top line represents the twelve circuit paths 36-25 of panel 11, Whereas the first vertical line on the left corresponds to the angles through which the rotor is moved. The remaining body of the table represents the order in which the circuits 36'--25-' are electrically connected with the opposing circuits 36-45. While Fig. 6 for purposesof clarity shows only conductors 3s, 3d and 25" incrossover relationship with conductors 2.536, the intervening conductors 35- -1 and 2 9"-2t6 have been included in the table of Fig. 7 by interpolation. Thus with each shift of the rotor the total connections are readily apparent. By way of example, the conductors 3625' are successively connected with conductors 3511-460, 34-b34c, 32b33c, and so forth when the wiper 40 is successively shifted through angles A-D. It is therefore apparent that the input order of pulses is shifted for each angular shift of the brush assembly and that the order is repeated for each 180 of rotation. The line bearing the angle designation A in the table for example reads 35b, 34b, 53b, 3211, etc., while the line in the table bearing the angle '6 designation M likewise reads 35a, 34a, 33a, etc. Since the a and b portions of each such circuit paths are connected it is obvious that the circuits are thus identical.

From the foregoing description it will be appreciated that the invention greatly simplifies the distribution of parallel signals by providing a pair of boards having identical printed circuit patterns thereon with a rotary wiper assembly therebetween. The switching apparatus according to the invention is particularly advantageous because it obviates the necessity for an individual stepping switch for each of the parallel input circuits thus achieving a cost saving by the elimination of the same.

While the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to single embodiment have been pointed out, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in form of the apparatus illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the follow ing claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a switching mechanism, a pair of electrically nonconducting base sheets arranged in spaced parallel arran gement, a plurality of mutually insulated circuit-paths carried on a face of each sheet, said paths including equally spaced semi-circular path portions disposed over a first area of the face, and spiral path portions connected to terminal'end portions of said semi-circular portions .and disposed over another area thereof, the faces of said base sheets carrying said circuit paths being arranged relative to each other so that the semi-circular conductive path portions of one sheet are in overlying relationship with the spiral path'portions of the other sheet, thus to define a plurality of opposed contact points, electrically conductive brush means adapted to electrically connect said opposed contact points, and means for rotating said brush means through predetermined angular positions whereby with each increment of rotation each semi-circular conductor portion of one sheet is electrically connected to a spiral conductor pathof theother sheet.

2. in a switching mechanism, a pair of electrically non-conducting base sheets arranged in spaced parallel arrangement, a plurality of mutually insulated circuit paths carried on a face of each sheet, said paths including equaliy spaced concentrically arranged semicircular path portions disposed over a first area of the face, first spiral path portions connected to ones of the terminal ends of said semi-circular portions and extending radially outwardly with respect to the center of said semi-circular portions and said second spiral path portions connected to ones of the remaining terminal ends of said semi-circular path portions and extending radially inwardly with respect to said center, the faces of said base sheets carrying said circuit paths being arranged in opposing relationship with each other so that the semi-circular conductive path portions of one sheet are in spaced overlying relation with the spiral path portions of the other sheet, bridging wiper means adapted when in a given angular position thereof to simultaneously connect each of the conductive paths on one sheet to a corresponding path of the opposite sheet, and means for moving said wiper means to successively different angular positions thereof to thereby connect each conductive path of said one sheet to a successively different path of the opposite sheet.

3. A construction according to claim 2 wherein said first spiral path portions terminate at an edge portion of its associated sheet.

4. A construction according to claim 2 wherein the inner ends of said second spiral path portion terminate in radial alignment with the innermost of said semi-circular path portions.

5. In a switching mechanism, a pair of electrically non-conducting'base sheets arranged in spaced parallel arrangement, a plurality of mutually insulated circuit paths carried on a face of each sheet, said paths including equally spaced concentrically arranged semi-circular path 7 portions disposed over a first area of the face, first spiral path portions connected to ones of the'terminal ends of said semi-circular portions and extending radially 'outwardly with respect to the center of said semi-circular portions, and second spiral path portions connected to ones of the remaining terminal ends of said semi-circular path portions and extending radially inwardly with respect to said center, the faces of said base sheets carrying said circuit paths being arranged in opposing relationship with each other so that the semi-circular conductive path portions of one sheet are in spaced overlying relation with the spiral path portions of the other sheet, bridging wiper means adapted when in a given angular position thereof to simultaneously connect each of the conductive paths on one sheet to a corresponding path of the opposite sheet, means for moving said wiper means to successively different angular positions thereof to thereby connect each conductive path of said one sheet to a successively dif ferent path of the opposite sheet, wherein said first spiral path portions terminateat an edge portion of its associated sheet, and the inner ends of said second spiral path portion terminates in radial alignment with the innermost of said semi-circular path portions.

6. In a switching mechanism, a pair of electrically nonconducting base sheets arranged in spaced parallel arrangement, a plurality of mutually insulated circuit paths of a circular pattern deposited over a first area on a face of each sheet, and a plurality of mutually insulated circuit paths of a spiral pattern joined to said circular paths and deposited over another area on said face, the circuit paths on the faces of said base sheets being so arranged respectively that a transverse projection of any circular path on the face of one sheet intersects all of the spiral paths on the face of the other sheet.

7. A construction according to claim 6 and further including means for electrically interconnecting said paths at said intersections.

8. A construction according to claim 7 and further including means for rotating said last means step-by-step between intersecting paths.

9. In a switching mechanism, a pair of non-conducting base sheets arranged in spaced relationship with respect to each other, each of said sheets having a pattern of mutually insulated conductive paths thereon with the pattern contained on one board being identical with that on the other board, said sheets moreover being arranged so that each conductive path on one board is disposed in spaced cross over relationship with all of the circuit paths of the other, and rotatable wiper means including a plurality of mutually insulated contacts, whereby each one of said contacts connects a conductive path of one board successively with the circuit paths of the other board.

10. A construction according to claim 9 and further including means to rotate said Wiper means incrementally through predetermined angular steps.

11. In a printed circuit component having a non-conducting base, a pattern of concentrically arranged equally spaced circuit paths contained upon a face of said base, said paths including points along their respective lengths which define circular portions thereof, said paths further including additional points which define spiral portions and which extend radially outwardly with respect to said circular portions, and said paths including remaining points which define additional spiral portions which extend radially inwardly with respect to said circular portions.

12. In a printed circuit component having a non-conducting base, a plurality of mutually insulated circuit paths carried on a face of each sheet, said paths including equally spaced semi-circular portions disposed over a first area of the face, first spiral portions connected to ones of the extremities of said semi-circular portions and extending radially outwardly with respect to said semi-, circular portions, and second spiral portions connected'to remaining extremities of said semi-circular portions and extending radially inwardly with respect to said semi-circular portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

